Hose-coupling



(No Model.)

-J. vF. MOELROY. HOSE COUPLING.

Patented Nov. 6, 1888'.

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James 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Model.) 1 2 sheetssheet 2.

' J. F. MQELRO Y.

HOSE COUPLING. I I No. 392,355.' a Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

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James [ME/1'0 Y UNITED STATES "PATENT omen.

. Janus F. McELROY, outn'xsrxc, Assists-on TO THE MCELROY can HEATING LOilllANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

HOSE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,355, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed January '3, 1888. Serial No. 259.027. (Xe model.)-

"1c provements in pipe-couplings especially designed for coupling the main pipe for conveyingjsteam or hot water for heating purposes orothegfiuid medium from -car to ear in railway-trainsfand theinventionconsists in the peculiar arrangementof a flexible pipe and coupling between the cars; secondly, in the peculiar construction of the flexible pipe and coupling, and, thirdly, in the peculiar manner of joining the flexible pipe to the couplingheads, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure l is a diagram plan showing my improved coupling as arranged between the ends of adjoining cars. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the coupling proper. Fig. 3 is a section on line X X in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 .is a longitudinal section on line Y Y, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detached elevation of one of the camlevers. Fig. 6 is a scction'on line Z Z in Fig.

5. Fig. 7 is a section on line \V Win Fig. f1. Fig. Sis a section on line V V in Fig. 7. Fig.

9 is a detached elevation of the elamp-washers, and Fig. 10 is a vertical central section through two adjoining cars provided with my improved pipe-coupling.

. A A representthe ends of two adjoining cured at one end to the train-pipe, and their I inner ends in' thecenter between the cars are is coupled togethenbymeans of my improved 5o coupling, as more fully hereinafter descrlbed.

into the center and as much as possible crosswise of the car, I make it sufficiently long to assume the form of an S between the ends of the main pipe, and support it, preferably, in a horizontal position by means of the chains D, depending from the platform of the car, so as to bring the plane of the pipe just below the car-coupling and as much as possible into a general plane with the main pipe to prevent the formation of a pocket or trap for water. I preferably join the flexible pipes at an angle ,7 to the ends of the train-pipes, as show n,whereby the form of the letter S may be easily obtained even with the heaviest kind of steamhose, theflexibility of which is too restricted to assume a short curve without damage; but with lighter hose the flexible pipes may be joined in a straight line to t-he;t-rain -pipes.

At the ends of the lllil l il pipes I place the valve E, which is provided, preferably, with a suitable drip on the hose side, so arranged that when the valve is closed the drip is open, and this valve 1' provide with the stem F, which projectslaterally, and is provided with the handle G for operating it from the side of the car, or from between the cars or from the platform, as desired, and withthe handle H in closer proximity to the valvc'fo'r operating it from underneath the car.

The coupling proper consists of two like metal coupling-heads, ll, cach of which is pro vided with the shank I to secure the hose thereto, and'this is p refer-ably accomplished in the following manner: The shank is preferably corrugated on the outside intlie usual manner to increase the friction of thehose thereon, and to fasten it securely against displacement I use a ring divided into sections J, each of which is provided with the inward projection or stud K, which is inserted through a hole formedin the hose and engages on a ridge or into a corresponding pit, L, on the shank of the coupling. This ring, or, rather,sectious of ring, is k) 5 then confined upon the outside by the clamping-collar M, which may preferably engage with the ring by means of an angular mortise and tenon, as shown. This means for securing hose to the shank provides for greater security ,con ilin than the ordinary means in use for securing hose to a coupling, which are generally deficient in withstanding great internal pressure.

The coupling-heads are constructed in th following manner: Into the face of each coupling-head is seated the annular packing a, projecting from the face of the coupling and removabl y retained therein by a suitable metal bushing, b,whieh screws into it. From the pcriplicry ofeach coupler-head project in axial line with the coupling two or more couplinghooks, 0, (there being two shown in the draw ings,) and corresponding peripheral recesses, r, are provided. upon each coupling-head to permitthecoupling-hooksoi'one coupling-head to project over he opposite coupling-head sufficiently to allow the hooked part of each coupling-hook to be engaged by the locking ring or collarf, which is sleeved upon a neck,

5 formed at the base of each coupling-head. Each of the lockingriugs is provided at its base with a suitable handle, It, .l'or turning it upon the neck of the coupling, and is retained thereon against displacement by means of the plus i engaging into the annular groovej of the coupling-head. lilach locking-ring is provided near its front end with the peripheral segmental cam-flanges I; and the peripheral recesses lbetween them cor responding with the coupling-hooks on each coupling, all so arranged that if these reccssesZ are made to register with the recesses c in its respective couplinghead the two couplings are free to be brought together or drawn apart, and, if being brought together and the two handles it are turned toward each other, the locking-flanges In of each locking-ring will enter the grooves or hooks in of each couplinghook, and thereby lock the two couplings together, and by applying suitable force to the handles h the couplings may be forced together as firmly as required to form a steam and water tight-joint.

in practice l preferably use only two coupling-hooks and arrange thcpartsin such mannor that thehandles hwhcn uncoupled are about at right-angles with each other, more or less, and when coupled each stands at an angle of about eighty-live degrees (more or less) below the horizontal plane through the axis of the Thus the handle olv' each lockingring has to be susceptible of a free play throngl an angle of about forty-fivc degrees, and by suitable stops in the grooves j in the neck of the coupling-heads l limit the move ment of the handles to this play. One end oi" the cam-flanges 7; acts as a stop to prevent the turning of the rings in the wrong direction.

'lo permit the couplings to uncouple automatically in case the cars become detached accidentally or otherwise, I connect the end of each handle to the end of the car by means of a chain or ropi'vconneetion, 0, which, as long as the cars are in normal relation to each other, remains slack, but which upon the cars separating from each other draws the handles in opposite directions,as required to eifect the uncoupling.

By arranging the flexible pipe-sections between the cars in the shape of an 8 all the necessary slack is obtained in a horizontal plane and the coupling is held with its axial ;line at right angles, or nearly so, to the line of the train, and thus the handles h are held in the most handy position for the brakeman to couple and uncouple by hand, while at the same time the ropes or chains pull in the proper direction to uncouple automatically in case of the cars becoming disconnected accidentally or otherwise.

Another advantage of the form of the flexible hose-connection is that all the necessary slack is thereby provided for in a horizontal plane, which prevents the formation of a pocket and permits of locating the coupling in the center below the car-coupling without bringing it so near the ground as to be unhandy.

The valve E, with its operating-handles H. and G, permits the brakcmau to shut oft the agent contained in the pipes from the ear or from the ground, and provides againsb any possible danger to the operator from such agent in the pipe in coupling and uncoupling, and for the samercason the handles it h are preferably wrapped with a woven wire, cord, or otherwise, protected.

It is obvious that instead of providing the locking-rings with cam-flanges the grooves m in the hooks may be cam-shaped. A great advantage of my coupling is that the two coupling-heads are firmly drawn together in coupling without the faces rubbing against each other in any way. This preserves the packing from-inj ury, which soon wears it out, as experience has demonstrated in couplers where the heads have to be rotated in coupling the two tpgethcr.

A further advantage of my coupling is the peculiar construction of the locking rings or collars, as by placing the locking-cums at the front end of the ring and the handles at the rear end or base ample clearance is provided between the handles for the operator. It will further be observed that the locking-ring bears all around against the shoulder of the neck of the coupling-head,and that the coupling-hooks areindcpendent ot the coupling-ring, so that the coupling-heads are always in proper ,elation to each other for coupling, provided they are properly secured to the flexible pipes,and when coupled the hooks are equal distances apart around the couplin The S-conneetion between the train-pipes is not only applicable to the coupling herein described, but to all couplings of this character--that is, to couplings consisting of two like parts adapted to be united and disunited by a partial rotation of handles on said coup ling-and I therefore desire to broadly cover such construction.

WhatI claim as my invention is. 1. The combination, with a coupling of th character described, of two flexible hose-sections connecting said coupling with the ends of tWo-traixrifipes,with a slack between the cars, and a snpport for each hose-section arranged to maintainthe slack substantially in a horizontal plane in the form of a letter S, whereby the axis of the coupling is placed substantially at right angles to the 1ongitudinal dirertion of the ears, substantially as described.

2. In a pipeeoupling for railway-cars, the combination, with a coupling consisting of two like halves, each provided with a loose coupling-ring, and handles on .said rings, wherebythc two halves are united and disunited by a partial rotation of the coupling.- rings,'substantially as described, of two flexible hosese'ctions connecting said coupling with a slack with the ends of two train-pipes, a support for eaeh hose-section to maintain said slack substantially in a horizontal plane in the form of a1etter,S,-and of connections between the endsof the handles and adjoining ears in the longitudinal direction thereof,

substantially as described.

3. In a pipe-coupling for railway-ears, the combination 19f the coupling-heads H, the

loose ring f, sleeved thereon and provided with the handles lathe chains or ropes 0, connectingthe handles with the ends of two cars, re-' speetively, the flexible loose sections 0, conhorizontal direction of the ears,substantially as described. 40

4. The combination, in a pipe-coupling, of the coupling-head provided with a shank for securing, the flexible pipe thereto, ring-sections provided with inwardly-projecting studs, corresponding ridges or pits on the shank, and a clamping-collar, all arranged to operatesubstantially as described. Y

5. The combination, in a pipe-coupling, of the coupling-head provided with a shank engaging 'with the flexible pipe, the ring-sections provided with the inwardly-projecting studs, the corresponding pits or ridges on the thimble,and the clamping-collar having a mortiseand-tenon engagement with the ring-sections, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof Iafifix my signature, in

JAMESJ. MOELROY. Witnesses:

E. O. KELLEY. J. CORNELL. 

